1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to handheld fluid applicators, wherein an operator operates a fluid dispensing actuator to drive fluid from a reservoir and out of the applicator, through an applicator tip. Such applicators have many different uses and are particularly well suited for dispensing glues and adhesives and indeed are common household items for applying epoxy glues, viscous carpentry glues and caulks and so on. More specialized uses with greater performance requirements, as will be described herein, are for applying tissue adhesives in a surgical context to repair tissues damage, and for equivalent professional, medical, veterinary or biological uses.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
Most prior art tissue sealant systems dispense side-by-side streams of tissue sealant components because of the problems of clogging which are associated with devices that provide internal mixing of the components. While some known devices provide internal mixing, they have the drawback of producing an inferior sealant product.